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Love pit bulls, don't loathe them

Sentinel & Enterprise

Updated:
08/04/2014 06:31:00 AM EDT

I would like to comment on your macabre July 29 cartoon on the opinion page that depicted maimed individuals raising their amputated "hands" in favor of banning pit bulls. Such a cartoon only feeds the frenzy to conclude that all pit bulls are dangerous and undesirable dogs. Mr. Granlund is entitled to his ignorant view, but I would encourage people like him to consider judging a dog on an individual basis rather than what the pup looks like or what breed it may belong to. Education will do more to increase public safety than trying to eliminate an entire breed as clearly stated by the American Veterinary Medical Association in their following public safety message:

My years in rescue have taught me one main thing: People are responsible for a dog's behavior. Behind every neglected, abused and vicious dog there is a human responsible. I would suggest to you both to contact a pit bull rescue. Foster a puppy who was rescued from a dogfighting situation or to get up front and very real, take in an adult dog with injuries and scars, heal his soul, tend his wounds, help him to learn all humans don't equal pain, teach him to be part of a family with a warm, safe place to sleep, plenty of good food and a gentle rather than violent touch. Look in his eyes. Then come tell me you'd print that cartoon again.

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PAM UTTARO, West Bridgewater

As an owner of eight rescued bully breed dogs I am outraged! May I remind you also that Massachusetts now has a state law prohibiting breed-specific legislation. In this day and age municipalities are changing their ordinances to hold all dog owners accountable for the behavior of their pets -- regardless of breed and physical characteristics. Just last week the The American Veterinary Society of animal behavior issued its position statement against breed-specific legislation. You can read it in it's entirety Here: http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/Breed-Specific_Legislation-download-1.pdf

May I also point out that right now we have a Bill in the Ma. H 4244, which is an important measure to update and improve animal cruelty laws in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

MARY DEGON PELLETIER, Gardner

Although I live in North Carolina now, I lived in Massachusetts for nearly 25 years. I'm appalled at the content of the cartoon bashing the pit bull breed. The problem in the community is not a specific breed, it is responsible dog owners and the illegal activities of dog fighting rings- again a people problem. Cartoons like this lead to perpetuation of falsehoods and to breed specific legislation, which leads to dogs being killed in droves. I demand an apology by your newspaper.

HELENA ELLIS, Durham, N.C.

Thousands of pit bulls are killed in this country every day. Many more are horrifically abused. This is not a topic that I can laugh about. The abuse of these dogs is a human problem, not a dog problem. Would a comic showing parents holding their deceased children and asking for a ban on guns be amusing to you?

JULIE VENTRIGLIA, E. Providence, R.I.

As a former reader of your paper, I was in disgust of a cartoon about the banning of pit bulls. I have been in rescue of animals for many years and if you did your research, as I assume you went to college, you would not have allowed that to be published in your paper. I grew up in the Fitchburg area and went to college there. I currently live in Florida and if it has reached me it will reach many others who feel just the same as I do. I will ask many many of my Central Mass friends and rescue friends all over the country to send you their concerns as well.

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